Extensible sign-holder.



W. J. DAMARIN.

EXTENSIBLE SIGN HOLDER. APPLICATION FILD act. 9. me.

Patented June 12, 1917.

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W. J'. DAMARIN.

EXTENSIBLE SIGN HOLDER. APPLICATION man per. 9. 1 91's.

Patented June 12, 1917.

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WILLIAM J. DAMARIN, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDMOND I-I. RIVAS, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

EXTENSIBLE SIGN-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1917.

Application filed October 9, 1916. Serial No. 124,701.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. DAMARIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Extensible Sign-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a holder forsigns and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a holder of this character which may be extended and collapsed; which may be secured to the front of a building and extended over a side-walk to hold the opposide sides of. a sign in full view and attract attention of passersby in both directions; which may be used for displaying advertisements and express companies signs, for announcing auction sales, and for any other permanent. or temporary use in displaying all kinds of announcements; and which may be collapsed and lowered for the quick and easy removal and positioning of signs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a holder of this nature which may be elevated to and secured at various heights, and which may be extended to various lengths from the supporting wall or post to adapt the holder to various conditions in its installation and use.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a sign possessing the above characteristics, and which is light in weight, simple in construction, which may be easily applied to a wall, post, or other vertical support, which is strong and durable and will withstand the weather, and which may be economically manufactured.

The above, and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more clearly broughtout in the. following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sign holder constructed according to the present invention, and being in extended position, the dotted line showing the position of the holder when collapsed and drawn downwardly.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, enlarged, taken through the upper end of the holder.

Fig. 3 is a vertical central section, e11- larged, taken through the inner end of the holder.

Fig. t is a detail perspective view of the bracket plate or vertical guide for the holder.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the slide which is mounted in the bracket plate.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the upper end of the hand lever, showing the bifurcated extremity by means of which the hand lever is pivotally mounted in the slide. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the sign-supporting bar.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the spring clamps carried by the bar for 'detachably engaging the sign.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken vertically through the lower end of the slide and the adjacent portion of the bracket plate, the view showing the spring bolt on the slide for holding the same in elevated position.

Referring to these drawings, wherein like parts are designated by similar numerals of reference throughout the several views, 10 designates a bracket plate adapted to be secured vertically against the wall, a post, or other suitable support. This bracket plate 10 is provided with inturned overhanging flanges 11 along its opposite sides forming a vertical trap or guideway. Top and bottom plates 12 close the upper and lower ends of the guideway and serve as stops. A slide 13 is fitted in the guideway 10 and may be formed of a piece of metal which is stamped and bent into substantially T-shape in cross-section, the head of the slide 13 fitting behind the overhanging flanges 11 and being retained in the bracket plate thereby. As shown in Fig. 5, the slide 13 is provided with a pair of outwardly extending spaced flanges or plates 14; comprising part of the slide 13. These plates 14 are provided with registering elongated slots 15 extending vertically in the slide 13, and above the slots 15 the plates are provided with registering apertures 16. A spring bolt 17 is mounted upon the lower end of the slide 13 and is adapted to engage in apertures 18 formed in the inner wall of the bracket plate 10. The apertures 18 are arranged in vertical spaced relation, and the bolt 17 is adapted to engage in the same,

' 30 to the inner extremity of the bar 28.

one at a time, to hold the slide 13 at various heights in the bracket plate.

The extensible portion of the sign is in the form of lazy tongs, the same comprising pairs of crossed arms 19 which are of equal length. Each pair of arms 19 is pivotally connected at its intermediate por= tion by a rivet or bolt 20 which supports a washer 21 interposed between each pair of the arms 19. The arm 19 at the inner end of the lazy tongs has its inner end twisted and rolled over, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, to provide an eye adapted to fit snugly between the plates 14: and in registry with the opening 16. A pivot pin 22 is secured through the plates 14 in the aperture 16 and pivotally connects the arm 19 to the top of the slide 13.

The opposite arm 19", engages at its inner end in the upper bifurcated end 23 of a hand lever 24. The lever 21 is of a width adapted to fit snugly between the plates 14, and the upper bifurcated end thereof is of the same width so as to bind frictionally between the plates. A pivot pin 25 engages through the slot 15, through the bifurcated end 23 of the lever, and through the interposed inner end of the arm 19. The pivot pin 25 is adapted to be moved vertically in the plates 14, throughout the length of the slot 15, and to carry therewith the free end of the arm 19 to expand and contract the lazy tongs. As shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the hand lever 24: may be swung outwardly away from the bracket plate 10 to permit ease in raising and lowering the hand lever, The hand lever 2 L is provided with a ring 26 adapted to slide longitudinally on the lever, and which is connected to one end of a chain 27 having its opposite end secured to the spring bolt 17. l/Vhen the lever 24 is swung outwardly, the ring 26 draws the chain 27 taut and retracts the bolt 17 from its adjacent aperture 18. By pressing or pulling upon the lever 24, the slide 13 may now be shifted vertically in the bracket plate 10. I

The outer cross-arm 19 of the lazy tongs has pivotal connection to the inner end of a sign-supporting bar 28, the pivotal connection being made by a rivet 29 located at a point spaced inwardly from the extremity of the bar 28 as shown in Fig. 1. The opposite cross-arm 19 at the outer end of the lazy tongs is connected by means oi? a link The link is of a length slightly greater than the distance between the pin 29 and the adjacent extremity of the bar 28. This difference in length is provided for the purpose of retaining the sign-supporting bar 28 at an angle to the link 30 when the sign collapsed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. By this construction, a dead center cannot be reached between the outer ends of the cross-arms 19 and 19', and their connection with the bar 28.

The sign-supporting bar 28 is provided, intermediate its ends, with a longitudinally extending slot 31. Spring clasps 32 are fixed upon the bar 28 adjacent to its opposite ends, and an adjustable clasp 33 is mounted on a pin 34: which projects through the slot 31 and permits of the free sliding movement of the clasp 33 longitudinally on the bar. The advantage of this arrangement is shown in Fig. 1, where the movable clasp 33 may be adjusted for engagement with one end of a sign 35 which has its opposite end secured to one of the end clasps 32. The remaining clasp 32 may be used for supporting a smaller sign 36.

In operation, it is only necessary to grasp the hand lever 2 1 and swing the same outwardly at its lower end to release the spring bolt 17 from the bracket plates 10. The lever 24 may now be pushed upwardly to raise the slide 13. By pushing the lever 21 upwardly, the inner arm 19 of the lazy tongs is raised at its inner end toward the fixed pivot pin 22, thus extending the lazy tongs and swinging the sign-supporting bar 28 outwardly. By using the link 30, the bar 28 is swung out into a horizontal position and in line with the lazy tongs. The frictional engagement of the hand lever 21 between the plates lt holds; the lazy tongs extended and supports the signs 35 and 36, which are relatively light in weight. then this adjustment is had, the lever 2st is swung inwardly against the bracket plate 10 and the bolt 17 is released and permitted to snap into the adjacent opening 18 for holding the slide 13 from moving downwardly.

One use to which this holder may be applied is to hold an express companys sign. hen the expressman observes the sign he manipulates the holder to draw the sign down, and detaches it and delivers the sign to the party placing it in the holder and who has an express package to be transported by the company. The holder also be used for supporting danger signals, lamps and the like at crossings and other places desired, the holder when not in use being retracted out of the way and occupying but relatively small space.

It is of course understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the structure of this sign holder to adapt it to various conditions in use and in installation, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

I claim: I

1. In a sign holder, the combination of a supporting part, an extensible part on the supporting part, a sign support on: the outer end of the extensible part adapted to be swung down into a vertical lowered position &

upon said end of the extensible part when the latter is retracted to receive a sign, and adapted to be raised into a horizontal position by the extending of said part to display the sign.

2. In a sign holder, a vertical fixed part, a vertically adjustable member slidably mounted on said fixed part, and a horizontally extensible part mounted on said member and adapted to hold a sign, said extensi ble part being independently adjustable of the vertically movable member to hold the Sign in various extended positions, and the vertically movable member being adjustable r independently of the extensible part to hold the sign at the desired height when extended.

3. In a sign holder, a vertical fixed part, a vertically movable part mounted on the fixed part, an extensible part mounted on the vertically movable part and adapted to support a sign upon its outer end, and a handle connected to the vertically movable and extensible parts and adapted to be operated to move both of said parts and adjust the sign vertically and horizontally.

a. In a sign holder, a vertical fixed part, a slidable part mounted for adjustment on the vertical part, an extensible part carried by the slidable part, a sign support on the outer end of the extensible part, securing means for holding the slidable part on the fixed part, and a handle connected to the extensible part and to the slidable part for adjusting the same, and having connection with said securing means for releasing the same prior to the adjustment of the parts.

5. In a sign holder, a vertical guideway adapted for securement to a vertical sup .port, a slide mounted for vertical adjustment in said guideway, a lazy tongs having one arm at one end secured to a fixed pivot at the top of the guideway, a lever pivoted to slide on the guideway and having pivotal connection with the opposite arm at said end of the lazy tongs, sign-engaging means carried upon the other end of the lazy tongs, and securing means for the slide to hold it in adjusted position upon the guideway, said securing means having connection with said lever and adapted to be released thereby prior to the adjustment of the slide and the lazy tongs.

6. In a sign holder, a supporting part, a lazy tongs having one of its inner ends secured by a fixed pivot to the supporting part, a handle pivoted to slide on said supporting part and having pivotal connection with the opposite inner end of the lazy tongs, a supporting bar pivoted near its extremity to one of the outer ends of the lazy tongs, a link pivotally connected to the extremity of said bar and to the opposite outer end of the lazy tongs, said lever being adapted to be drawn downwardly to col lapse the lazy tongs, and said link being adapted to swing said bar downwardly into substantially vertical position upon the collapsing of the lazy tongs, and sign-engaging means carried by said bar.

7. In a sign holder, a vertical guideway provided with vertically spaced-apart openings therein, a slide mounted for vertical adjustment in the guideway, an extensible part carried by the slide, a handle pivoted on the slide for moving the same vertically and having connection with said extensible part to adjust the same, a spring bolt carried by the slide and adapted for engagement in said openings, one at a time, in the guideway, and a flexible sliding connection between the spring bolt and said lever for permitting the vertical movement of the lever in the slide, said lever being adapted to be swung outwardly for retracting said bolt from the guideway prior to the adjustment of the slide.

8. In a sign holder, the combination of a support, a lazy tongs secured at one of its inner ends to said support, adjusting means connected to the opposite inner end of the lazy tongs for extending and retracting the same, and a sign holder connected to the two outer ends of the lazy tongs and adapt ed to be swung into various angles with respect to the lazy tongs upon the retraction and extension of the same.

WILLIAM J. DAMARIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

